Full Time: Morocco 0 Croatia 0
Check out the report from Jim Quinian if you missed any of today's game and before you go, here are the match stats for your viewing pleasure. Live coverage of Germany v Japan is already under way on Flashscore, with two more games to come after that. A feast of football for your Wednesday.
Well, that one will not be remembered for long. A draw that gives both sides hope in Group F, but they will both need to perform better if they are to progress deep into to the World Cup. Report to come along with all the stats from our partners.
Second Half
12:49 CET: Six minutes of added time - will we get a grandstand finish?
12:48 CET: Another substitute, this time Ivan Perisic is taken off for Croatia, replaced by Mislav Orsic.
12:47 CET: Two minutes to go in Al Bayt Stadium and we are looking likely for a draw in this opening game of day four. Neither side wants to lose this now and risk levels are low at the moment.
12:40 CET: The masked Gvardiol heads wide from a Modric free kick before Morocco make two substitutes. Abdelhamid Sabiri and Abderrazak Hamdallah are both on for Youssef En Nesyri and Azzedine Ounahi. Nine minutes of the 90 left.
12:37 CET: Amazingly, we have got to the 77th minute for the first booking and it goes to Sofyan Amrabat for a late challenge on Luka Modric. More changes are afoot too - Mateo Kovacic is coming off for Lovro Majer in the Croatian midfield.
12:34 CET: Fifteen minutes left in normal time and the nerves are building in the stands. On the pitch, it remains tight with neither side ever looking in control.
12:31 CET: Modric delivers two classy balls into the box, one is cleared just over the bar, whilst the other is well defended. It feels like a touch of class could win this game.
12:29 CET: And now it's time for Croatia to make their second change of the game. Andrej Kramaric off for Mateo Livaja.
12:24 CET: Second change for Morocco - Sofiane Boufal, who has been quiet, is replaced by Ez Abde.
12:23 CET: After some Morocco pressure, the North Africans have another free-kick in a decent area from a Modric foul. Hakimi lets fly and forces Livakovic into a punched save. A great strike from the full back.
12:18 CET: I stand corrected, Mazraoui can't continue and is being stretchered off - although he is sitting up and doesn't look in too much trouble. He will be replaced by Yahya Attiat-Allal at left back.
12:16 CET: Noussair Mazraoui has continued and after that brief blitz of action, the game has settled back into its familiar pattern. The nerves are building in the stands.
12:11 CET: OFF THE LINE! Chaos from the corner, but Morocco manage to get it clear off their own line. Players are down inside the box, Mazraoui again, and this looks like an injury to his side. His teammates look concerned.
12:09 CET: The Moroccan fans have been in fine voice and their players are now shooting towards them. Noussair Mazraoui steals around the back to get a header on goal but he can't get much on it. He then stays down and Croatia take advantage down his flank, forcing a corner. The Moroccan players are not happy.
12:03 CET: Croatia get us back under way, who can create the better chances in the second half?
Half Time
12:02 CET: A surprising change at the break with Croatia replacting Nikola Vlasic with Mario Pasalic - will that bring about a change in formation?
11:53 CET: Here are the match stats at the break - they look far more even than earlier in the game given Croatia's strong end to the half. Follow our live match stats here if you can't view the photo.
11:48 CET: After 45 minutes, we remain level at 0-0 between Croatia and Morocco - the Europeans ended the half the stronger with good chances right before the whistle. For Morocco they will hope to gather themselves after being on top for much of the half.
First Half
11:47 CET: Croatia go close again. This time the ball breaks to Modric at the edge of the box, but he can only fire over. He is not happy with himself after that shot.
11:46 CET: Just before the break, we get the best chance of the game. From the left, the ball is fizzed into the Morocco box and Nikola Vlasic gets in front of his marker, only to see his effort saved by Yassine Bounou. The closest either side have come to breaking the deadlock.
11:42 CET: A second foul of the game from Luka Modric creates a good chance for Morocco. The free-kick, from the right flank, is delivered by Ziyech, but he can't beat the first man. He then feels he is fouled soon after, shouting "you're joking" at the assistant refereee who gives a throw the other way. This is serious business Hakim.
11:36 CET: Less than 10 minutes to go before the break and Croatia break through the Morocco press to threaten, however the North Africans get back in numbers to snuff that attack out.
11:33 CET: After a relatively fast start, the game has turned scrappy with neither side able to create much. For both sides, not losing their opening game is important for their qualification hopes. Is this playing a part in the first half?
11:25 CET: Neither side has been able to wrestle control of the match so far, with both sides finding some momentum - the match stats, powered by StatsPerform reflect this too. You can follow the match stats live with our service now.
11:20 CET: Now then, a free-kick for Morocco in a dangerous area - centre of the pitch and 25 yards out. It looks like Ziyech will be taking this but he can only fire it into the wall. Bit of a waste from the Chelsea winger.
11:18 CET: Ivan Perisic has always had a good left foot and he shows it once again, firing just over the bar from 30 yards with a vicious effort. It feels like there will be goals in this game.
11:13 CET: Ziyech is proving a threat down the right for Morocco. He cuts in off the wing and manages to get a shot away only for it to be blocked. From the deflection Achraf Hakimi gets a shot away but its an easy save for the Croation goalkeeper Livakovic. Up the other end, Modric gets to the byline and teases a ball along the six-yard box but no-one can get a touch on it.
11:09 CET: Both sides are right up for this as you would imagine with tackles flying in and the game being played at a good tempo. Hakim Ziyech then barges into Josko Gvardiol, who is wearing a protective face mask today, upending him. This looks like it will be a fun game.
11:05 CET: A quiet start from both sides as they look to figure each other out. Croatia gain the first corner of the game, which despite a nice training ground routine, comes to nothing. A good noise inside Al Bayt Stadium so far, although it does not look full.
11:00 CET: Morocco get us under way in the first of four games today and the first from Group F.
Pre-match
10:54 CET: Both teams are out under blue skies and it's time for the anthems.
10:46 CET: Just under 15 minutes before this clash kicks off and normally at this stage we would give you the head-to-head record from this contest. However, this is the first time these two sides have ever met in a competitive fixture. Croatia come into the game in good form having won their last five in all competitions, whilst Morocco are unbeaten in their last eight games. One of those will end today.
Team News
Croatia midfielders Marcelo Brozovic and Mateo Kovacic will both start their World Cup Group F opener at Al Bayt Stadium on Wednesday after overcoming injury issues.
Kovacic is available for the 2018 runners-up despite struggling with a knee injury recently, while Brozovic played 70 minutes in their final warm-up game, allaying fears about his involvement at the tournament.
Morocco defender Nayef Aguerd starts despite making only one league appearance this season for his club West Ham United.
Croatia, who were beaten by France in the final four years ago, are making their sixth World Cup appearance, having either been eliminated in the group stages or at least reached the semi-finals (1998, 2018).
Morocco: Yassine Bounou, Achraf Hakimi, Noussair Mazraoui, Sofyan Amrabat, Nayef Aguerd, Romain Saiss, Hakim Ziyech, Azzedine Ounahi, Selim Amallah, Soufiane Boufal, Youssef En-Nesyri.
Croatia: Dominik Livakovic, Ivan Perisic, Dejan Lovren, Mateo Kovacic, Andrej Kramaric, Luka Modric, Marcelo Brozovic, Nikola Vlasic, Borna Sosa, Josko Gvardiol, Josip Juranovic.
Check out the full line-ups and formations with Flashscore.
Introduction
Welcome to the first game of day four from Qatar where Croatia take on Morocco in Group F. We will have live audio commentary from 10:55 CET along with live text and statistical analysis right here.
